“Jacob Zuma is an honest man unlike Ramaphosa” – says Herman Mashaba

Herman Mashaba warned South Africans about voting the "charming" Ramaphosa into power.

South African main opposition party Democratic Alliance newly elected Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba gives an interview to Agence France-Presse on September 7, 2016 at his office in Johannesburg, South Africa. - For the first time since apartheid, the city's mayor is not from the African National Congress (ANC), but instead from the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) opposition party. And Herman Mashaba, a millionaire who made his fortune in black hair products, has set himself the ambitious goal of transforming South Africa's economic capital. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP)

Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, stood next to the leadership of his party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) when he issued a warning to South Africans about the consequences of granting President Cyril Ramaphosa permanent stay at the helm of power come election day.

The country will be heading to the polls in just 23 days to elect its new president and political party.

Mashaba, who, as reported by Sowetan Live, was addressing the media at Constitutional Hill, in Braamfontein, on Sunday, insinuated that Ramaphosa was a worse leader in comparison to his predecessor.

What did Herman Mashaba actually mean?

Taken out of context, one would think that the mayor of Joburg actually meant that, with regards to leadership qualities and morality, Zuma was a better president than Ramaphosa.

However, this, according to Mashaba, would be the sentiment of many South Africans who would find out, well after the elections have passed, that Ramaphosa is, in fact, a sly fox who uses his charm to disarm people.

“I warn you and I warn people of South Africa that come May 8, if Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC must continue, I can assure you the wasted nine years of Jacob Zuma will be like a walk in the park.

“I can assure you 18 to 24 months’ time, people of this country are going to ask Jacob Zuma to come back and the reason for that is because Jacob Zuma is an honest man,” Mashaba said.

“Zuma doesn’t play with emotions” – Mashaba

The DA leader explained that with Zuma, we at least knew of his alleged blatant and overt corruption. It was not, according to Mashaba, blanketed by the lethal charm Ramaphosa possesses.

“Zuma is not a charmer who plays around with people’s emotions. With Jacob Zuma we know he steals people’s money and he does not hide it.

“So let people of this country of making that mistake…of trusting the ANC and Cyril Ramaphosa, in 18 to 24 months they will be saying ‘Jacob Zuma please come back, we know you are an honest man’.” he added.

He also stated that on his visit to Alex, which is expected to be on Monday, he will expose the names of ANC officials who allegedly benefitted from the R1-billion that was earmarked for the Alexandra Renewal Project.